Cohocksink Creek - from historical sources

Only seven scores of years have past since the plot of this wide-spread city lay in woods or waste fields of blackberries and whortleberries. Then it was daily traversed by swarthy Indians, and the leafy arbours were vocal with plumed songsters, ...
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. vi

EARLY TOPOGRAPHY
I have heard it conjectured that the flat ground of Pegg's marsh, and the low ground of Cohocksinc swamp, are the beds of the Schuylkill, which may have passed there before Fair Mount barrier gave way - one channel having come from Fair Mount to Pegg's swamp, and the others from the Falls of Schuylkill by Cohocksinc. The particulars of this theory may be read in my MS. Annals, p. 352, 353 in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 730

It has been conjectured, not without probability, that in some prehistoric period some one of the main debouches of the stream was from Fairmount, or some point between that and the Falls of Schuylkill, eastward across to the Delaware at or about Kensington, by the beds of the streams, creeks and coves now or formerly known by the names of Frankford, Cohocksink, Pegg's Run, Gunner's Run, etc. If this were the case really, Philadelphia would properly be described, so far as the original city is concerned, as occupying the upper part of an island in the delta of the Schuylkill, where its several mouths empty into the Delaware.
- Scharf & Westcott, 1884, p. 2

Cohocksink (Cuwenasink) is suposed to mean "pine grove."
- Scharf & Westcott, 1884, p. 9

The waters of Cohocksink Creek, a stream composed of Mill Creek... and the Coozaliquenaque, rising above Jefferson Street near Broad, where the Gratz property lay.
- Scharf & Westcott, 1884, p. 9

INDIANS
The Indians whom we usually call Delawares, because first found about the regions of the Delaware, never used that name amongst themselves; they called themselves Lenni Lenape, which means "the original people,"—Lenni meaning original,—whereby they expressed they were an unmixed race, who had never changed their character since the creation;—in effect they were primitive sons of Adam and others were sons of the curse, as of Ham, or of the outcast Ishmael, &c.

They, as well as the Mengwe, (called by us Iroquois) agreed in saying they came from westward of the Mississippi—called by them Namæsi Sipu, or river of fish—and that when they came over to the eastern side of that river, they there encountered and finally drove off all the former inhabitants, called the Alligewi—(and of course the primitives of all our country!) who, probably, such as survived, sought refuge in Mexico.

From these facts we may learn, that however unjustifiable, in a moral sense, may be the aggressions of our border men, yet on the rule of lex talionis we may take refuge and say, we drive or dispossess those who were themselves encroachers, even as all our Indians, as above stated, were!
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 445

EARLY SCANDINAVIAN SETTLERS
As the Swedes afterwards made new wells at some distance from the former, they discovered in the ground some broken earthen vessels and some entire good bricks, and they often got them out of the ground by ploughing. These facts Mr. Kalm said he often heard repeated by the aged Swedes. Their own belief was that the land, before their settlement there, had been possessed by some other race of Europeans, even possibly as the Wineland to which the old Norwegians went. The Indians, too, spoke of these wells as being a tradition, that they had been made by another race of people some centuries before. We shall, however, see in these pages, that the Indians themselves had some rude construction of pottery, but never like the idea of real bricks. The whole suggestion and facts are curious and may afford some speculation.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 654

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
For want of a better term I have chosen so to name those primitive trees of forest race as still remain among us, from days cotemporary with the foundation of the city. Those now standing on the northern extremity nearest to the city are nigh the first gate on the Germantown turnpike,—on Wager's field or lot. There are two of them there of sweet gum about twenty feet apart, and having a circumference of about 14 feet. Between those trees there was once deposited in the ground a quantity of stolen treasure—afterwards confessed and recovered.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p.722

DELAWARE RIVER
William Penn, in his letter of 1683, thus describes the fish of the Delaware, to wit: "Sturgeons play continually in our river. Alloes, as they call them - the Jews alice, and our ignorants shades [shad!] are excellent fish. They are so plentiful that 600 are drawn at a draught. Fish is brought to the door both fresh and salt. Six alloes or rocks for twelve pence, and salt fish, at three farthings per pound. Oysters two shillings per bushel."
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p.728

BEASTS OF PREY, AND GAME
Mr. Kalm, when here in 1748, says, all then agreed that the quantities of birds for eating were then diminished. In their forefathers' days, they said the waters were covered with all sorts of water-fowl. About 60 to 70 years before, a single person could kill eighty ducks a morning! An old Swede of 90 years told Mr. Kalm he had killed twenty-three ducks at one shot! The wild turkies and the hazel-hens (pheasants) too, were in abundance in flocks in the woods. Incredible numbers of cranes visited the country every spring. They spoke also of fish once being more abundant. At one draught they caught enough to load a horse; and codfish, since all gone, were numerous at the mouth of the Delaware.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 674-675

THE 'NORTH END'
In early times, the "North End" was the common name given to the Northern Liberties, when having its only road out Front street. In the present notice it will include the region of Cohocksinc creek over to Kensington, and westward over the former Campington. The object is to bring back to the mind's eye "its face of nature, ere banished and estranged" by improvement.

The whole region was originally patented to Jurian Hartsfelder, in 1676 by Governor Andros of New York government. In ten years afterwards he sold out to D. Pegg his whole 350 acres, extending from Cohocksinc creek, his northern line, to Pegg's run, his southern line. That part beyond Cohocksinc, northward, which came under Penn's patent, was bought, in 1718, by J. Dickinson—say 945 acres—at 26s. 8d. sterling, and extending from the present Fairhill estate over to Bush Hill. Part of the same estate has been known in more modern times as "Master' estate and farm," and some of it is now in possession of Turner Camac, Esq. who married Masters' daughter.

The primitive state of the North End near the Cohocksinc creek, is expressed in a petition, of the year 1701, of the country inhabitants (115 in number) of Germantown, Abington, & c. praying the Governor and Council for a settled road into the city, and alleging that "they have lately been obliged to go round new fences, from time to time set up in the road by Daniel Pegg and Thomas Sison,"* for that as they cleared their land, they drove the travellers out into uneven roads and very dangerous for carts to pass upon. They therefore pray "a road may be laid out from the corner of Sison's fence straight over the creek [meaning the Cohocksinc, and also called Stacey's creek] to the corner of John Stacey's field, and afterwards to divide into two branches—one to Germantown and one to Frankford." They add also that Germantown road is most travelled—taking thereby much lime and meal from three mills, with much malt, and a great deal of wood, timber, &c. At the same time they notice the site of the present "long stone bridge and causeway over to Kensington, by saying "they had measured the road that is called the Frankford road, over the bridge from about the then part of the tobacco field, to a broad stone upon Thomas Sison's hill near his fence, and find it to be 380 perches, and thence to the lower corner of John Stacey's field to the aforesaid tobacco field 372 perches, beside (along) the meadow and creeek by John Stacey's field, and of the latter we had the disadvantage of the woods, having no line to go by, and finding a good road all the way and very good fast lands." I infer from this petition (now in the Logan collection) that they desired the discontinuance of the then road over the long bridge to Frankford,** and that both Germantown and Frankford roads should diverge "by as near a road, having fast land all along."

A letter of Robert Fairman's, of the 30th of 8 mo. 1711, to Jonathan Dickinson, speaks of his having a portion of the 13 acres of his land next the Coxon creek (Cohocksinc) and in Shackamaxo.*** In another letter of the 12th of 3 mo. 1715, he says "the old road and the bridge to it being so decayed and dangerous for passengers, my brother Thomas, with Thomas Masters, and others thought it proper to move your court for a new road, which being granted, a new bridge was made and the road laid out, and timber for the bridge was cut from my planatation next the creek; but not being finished before my brother Thomas died, has since been laid aside and the old bridge and road are repaired and used—thus cutting through that land of mine and his, so as to leave it common and open to cattle, & c. notwithstanding the new road would have been a better route. This has proceeded from the malice of some who were piqued at my brother."

In the year 1713, the Grand Jury, upon an inspection of the state of the causeway and bridge over the Cohocksinc, on the road leading to the "Governor's mill"—where is now Craig's manufactory—
recommend that a tax of one pence per pound be laid "to repair the road at the new bridge by the Governor's mill, and for other purposes." In 1739 the said mill took fire and was burnt down. It was thought it occured from the wadding of guns fired at wild pigeons.

This mill seems to have been all along an ill adventure; for James Logan, in 1702, speaking of the Governor's two mills, says, "those unhappy expensive mills have costs since his departure upwards of 200 in dry money. They both go these ten days. The "Town Mill," (now Craig's place) after throwing away 150£. upon her, does exceeding well, and of a small one is equal to any in the province." The other mill alluded to was at Chester.
In 1739, Mrs. Mary Smith with her horse were both drowned "near the long bridge in the Northern Liberties." "Twas supposed it occured by her horse attempting to drink at that place where water is very deep." At the same causeway was quicksand, in which a horse and chair and man all sunk!

When the long stone bridge was built, in 1790, (its date is marked thereon and done by Souders) they came, at the foot of the foundation, to several curiosities, described to me by those who saw them, to wit: —a hickory hand-cuff, perfectly sound—several leaden weights, for weighing—a quantity of copper farthings, and a stone hollowed out like a box, and having a lid of the same.

Old Mr. Wager (the father of the present Wagers) and Major Kisell have both declared, that as much as 60-65 years ago they had seen small vessels with falling masts go up the Cohocksinc creek with grain, to the Globe mill—the same befoe called the Governor's mill. Old Captain Potts, who lived near there, told me the same thing when I was a boy.

While the British army occupied Philadelphia, in the year 1777 and '78, they damned in all the Cohocksinc meadows, so as to lay them all under water from the river, and thus produced to themselves a water barrier of defence in connection with their line of redoubts across the north end of the city. Their only road and gate of egress and ingress northward, was at the head of Front street where it parts to Germantown, and by Kensington to Frankford.

On the 29th of July, 1824, the course of the Cohocksinc creek was overwhelmed with the heaviest and most sudden torrent of rain ever before remembered. The water rested four feet on the lower floor of Craig's factory. White's dwelling house had nine inches depth on its lower floor. It flowed four feet above the crown of the arch of the bridge at Second Street. All this unprecedented flood was occaisioned by three hours of rain at midnight. The general desolation that was presented at daylight will be long remembered by those who witnessed it.

Formerly the Delaware made a great inroad upon the land at the mouth of the Cohocksinc, making there a large and shallow bay, extending from Point Pleasant down to Warder's long wharf, near Green Street. It is but about 30 years since the river came up daily close to the houses on Front and Coates' street, and at Coates' street the dock there, made by Budd's wharfed yard, came up to the line of Front Street. All the area of the bay (then without the present street east of Front street, and having none of the wharves now there) was an immense plane of spatterdocks, nearly out to the end of Warder's wharf, and on a line to Point Pleasant. The lower end of Coates' street was then lower then now; and in freshets the river laid across Front street. All the ten or twelve houses are north of Coates' street, on the east side, were built on made-ground, and their little yards were supported with wharf-logs, and bush-willows as trees. The then mouth of Cohocksinc was at a wooden drawbridge, then the only communication to Kensington, which crossed at Leib's house opposite to Poplar lane; from thence a raised causeway ran across to Kensington, was not then in existence. On the outside of this causeway the river covered, and spatterdocks grew, and on the inside there was a great extent of marshy ground alternately wet and dry, with the ebbing and flowing of the tide; the creek was embanked on the east side. The marsh was probably 200 feet wide where the causeway at the stone bridge now runs. The branch of this creek which run up to the Globe mill, [on the place now used as Craig's cotton manufactory] was formerly deeper than now. Where it crosses Second street, at the stone bridge north of Poplar lane, there was in my time a much lower road, and the river water, in time of freshets, used to overflow the low lots on each side of it. The houses near the causeway, and which were there 30 years ago, are now buried one story underground. The marsh grounds of Cohocksinc used to afford good shooting for woodcock and snipe &c. The road beyond, "being Front street continued," and the bridge thereon, is all made over this marsh within the last 16 years; also, the road leading from the stone bridge across Front to Second street—the hill, to form that road, has been cut down full 20-25 feet, and was used to fill up the Front street causeway to the York road, &c. The region of country to the north of this place and of Globe mill, over to Fourth street mill-dam, was formerly all in grass commons, without scarcely a single house or fence thereon, and was a very great resort for shooting kill-dear and snipe. It was said the British had burned up all the former fences, and for many years afterwards no attempt was made to try and renew them. On these commons bullbaiting sometimes occured, and many military trainings. None of the present ropewalks were then there; but one run where Poplar lane now lies, from Front to Second street—that not having been a street til within 25 years ago. The British redoubts remained til lately—one on the Delaware bank in a line with the stone-bridge street—then no houses were near it; now it is all built up, and streets are run where none were seen. The next redoubt, west, stood in an open grass lot of Captain Potts, on Second street and in front of where St. John's Methodist church now stands.—[John street was not then run there.] Another redoubt stood on Poplar lane and corner of Fifth street,—another back of Bush Hill house, and another was on Fair Mount,—another on the hill south of High street, where the waterworks were located. All the Cohocksinc marsh is now filled up and built upon, and an imense long wharf and a bridge from it is made to join a street to Kensington.

* This name was spelt Tison in another place.
** It is possible, however, that the long bridge may have been one on piles, directly out Front street as it now runs - as such piles were there in my youth, and a narrow causeway. It was either the remains of old time, or it had been made by the British army as they flooded that land.
*** Thus determining, as I presume, that Shackamaxon began at Cohocksinc creek, and went up to Gunner's creek.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 415-420

MILL
Writing to James Logan in 1701 William Penn said "Get my two mills finished, and make of these for my profit, but let not John Marsh put me to any great expense." Logan has difficulty fulfilling this request writing "Our mill proves the unhappiest thing of the kind, that ever man, I think, was engaged in. If ill luck can attend any place more than another it may claim a charter for it. I wish it were sold." Luck struck the Irishman and the mill was sold to Thomas and Sybilla Masters. "We have on record some 'fond dreams of hope' of good Mrs. Sybilla Masters who went out to England in 1711-12 to make her fortune abroad by the patent and sale of her 'Tuscarora Rice,' so called. It was her preparation from our Indian corn, made into something like our hominy, and which she strongly recommended as a food peculiarly adapted for the relief and recovery of consumptive and sickly persons. After she had procured the patent, her husband set up a water mill and suitable works... to make it in quantities for sale." English patent No. 401, granted November 25th, 1715, was the first patent issued to any person in the American colonies. That's right, the first! The Governor's Mill (built 1700-1701) was the fourth water-power grain mill erected after Penn's arrival.

January 3, 1797 President George Washington "visits the Globe Mills, situate at what is now the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Girard Avenue. One of the earliest manufactories in the United States, of any extent, for spinning and weaving flax, hemp, and tow, by water power, was that of James Davenport, put in operation with patent machinery within the last twelve months, at the Globe Mills... Visited... by Washington and several members of Congress, who were highly pleased with the ingenuity and novelty of the machinery. The President in particular expressed a high opinion of the merits of the patentee, Mr. Davenport; and an earnest wish that a work so honorable to the infant manufactories of the Union, might be extended to different parts of the country. The labor was chiefly performed by boys."

The great mill, for its day, was the "Governor's mill," - a low structure on the location of the present Craig's factory. Great then was the difficulty going to it, they having to traverse the morass of Cohoquinoque, (since Pegg's marsh and run,) and on the northern bank of which the Indians were still hutted; thence they had to wade through the Cohocsinc creek beyond it.* What a toil! Wheel carriages were out of the question in such an expedition; and boats or canoes either ascended the Cohocsinc, then a navigable stream for such, or horses bore the grain or meal on their backs.

* A Mrs. Smith and her horse were both drowned in attempting to cross, at where is now the long stone bridge. And in later times a horse and rider sunk and were lost in the quicksand there.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 56

Seth Craige Cotton mill established in 1804
- Happenings in Ye Olde Philadelphia, p. 22

The locality was [by the Governor's Mill], even up to 1820, one of much sylvan beauty, sometimes made wild enough, however, when after heavy rains, the widely swelled creek rushed along over its muddy bed like a mountain torrent.
- Pennsylvania Magazine of History & Biography, Vol. 8, p. 281

RUM
Rum distilled from molasses was once an article largely manufactured and sold in Philadelphia. It bore as good a price as the Boston or New England rum, and both of them nearly as much as that imported from the West Indies. About the year 1763 there used to be frequent mention of Wharton's "great still-house," on the wharf near the Swede's church; also, Sims' and Cadwallader's still-house below the Drawbridge; one in Front above Arch street; two large ones in Cable Lane; one at Masters', above Point Pleasant, in Kensington; one out High Street, between Eighth and Ninth streets.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 218

SPRINGS
Town of BATH in the Northern Liberties in the City of Philadelphia. JOHN WHITE, living in the NEW BATH, humbly proposes, by the Assistance of his Wife, to Accomodate Ladies and Gentlemen with Breakfasting, on the best Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate, with plenty of GOOD CREAM, &c., which articles may also be had in an Afternoon. He likewise hopes to give Satisfaction to any Persons whose Health may require their going to the Bath, by his attendance and by furnishing them with Brushes and proper Towels; and as Order and Decency is naturally required in such an Undertaking, he further hopes to approve himself capable of conducting and salutary Purposes, which the Founder originally intended, and now hopes to see effected. He takes the Liberty and subscribes himself the Publick's most obedient humble Servant. JOHN WHITE
N.B. The Bath being now opened, Tickets for the Bathing Season may be had of him.
- Pennsylvania Gazette, August 22, 1765

"The Mineral Springs" I presume to have been the same found at "Bath town," in the Northern Liberties...brought into much celebrity by the influence of Dr. Kearsley. In the year 1765, we see an advertisement of John White and wife, who advertise their bath at the town of Bath, saying they will provide refreshments to those who visit it; and they hope, from the virtues of the water, to answer the salutary purposes which the Founder [Dr. Kearsley,] originally attended. Their house at that day stood on a pleasant farm, called White's farm, having about the house a grove of grateful shade - itself on a green bank gently declining into the Cohocksinc creek. The house was sometimes called the "Rose of Bath," because of the sign of a rose attached to the house. The house is now standing, dismantled of all its former rural and attractive charms, a two story building, on the next lot north of the Methodist church in St. John Street; and the spring, now obliterated, once flowed on the south side of that church, on ground now converted into a tanyard by Pritchet, nearly due east from the Third street stone bridge. The spring, over which Dr. Kearsley had erected a bath house, stood about twenty to twenty-five feet west from the line of St. John street, on the southern side of the tanyard, as I have been told. I mention the location with such particularity, that it may at some day cause a better speculation for some of our citizens, to revive it there by digging or boring, than that of "Jacob's Well" at New York. "The town of Bath," so imposing a name, never existed but on charts. It was a speculation once to make a town there, but it did not take.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 427
Note that Dr. John Kearsley designed Christ Church (Second & Market Streets) and the State House (aka Independence Hall).

This morning being fine and pleasant, Josey and I took a walk around the mill-dam, and through the woods where we gathered a variety of wild-flowers; every season has its beauties.
- Diary of Miss Sarah Eve (1772), Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol V, p. 198
Note Miss Sarah Eve was the "consumptive fiancé of Dr. Rush"

JONATHAN DICKINSON & FAMILY
He possessed a large estate in Jamaica, from whence he emigrated, as well as landed property near our city. He purchased the properties 1230 acres of part of the manor of Springetsbury, being the chief part of the north end of the Northern Liberties, extending across from Second Street to Bushhill, and since growing into an immense estate. He lived on that part of it called the Vineyard. One of his daughters married Thomas Masters, to whom the estate descended. Such as it is, it cost originally but 26s. 8d. an acre! He, directly after his purchase, which seemed a reluctant one too on his part, sold out a part to Richard Hill at a good advance in value. As he increased in wealth, he was enabled to live in a style of generous hospitality and elegance, keeping his coach, when but eight four-wheeled carriages were owned in the province. He died in 1722, leaving as his issue three sons and two daughters. The eldest son, though married, died in 1727, without issue; his brothers also had no families. The daughter, Mary, married in Rhode Island, and to her heirs went the Point no Point estate of several hundred acres, sold out in 1740 and '50, to Oldman, Linn, Roberts, & c. The daughter, Hannah, married Thomas Masters, and by her came a large part of "the Masters' estate" in the Northern Liberties., above the Fourth street road, now the property of Penn and Camac, by marriage of Masters' daughters.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 502

PIRATE'S GOLD
As late as the year 1792, the shipcarpenters formed a party to dig for pirates' money in the Cohocksinc creek, north west of the causeway, under a large tree. They got frightened off. And it came out afterwards that a waggish neighbour had enacted diabulus to their discomfiture.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 225

Rumors mention the pirate's gold as being buried by Edward Teach, aka. Blackbeard who apparently visited Philadelphia around 1714.

MEDICAL SUBJECTS
"And awful stories chain'd the wondering ear!
Or fancy-led, at midnight's fearful hour
With stratling step we saw the dreaded corse!"
The tales had not subsided when I was a boy, when for want of facts we surmised them. The lonely desolate house is yet standing by the stone bridge over the Cohocksinc, on north Third street, which all boys of Philadelphia deemed the receptacle of dead bodies, where their flesh was boiled, and their bones burnt down for the use of the faculty! The proofs were apparent enough:—It was always shut up—showed no out-door labourers—was by a constant stream of running water to wash off remains—had "No Admittance," for ever grimly forbidding, at the door; and from the great chimney about once a fortnight issued great volumes of black smoke, filling the atmosphere all the country round with a most noisome odour—offensive and deadly yearning graves themselves! Does nobody remember this! Have none since smiled in their manhood to find it was a place for boiling oil and making hartshorn—took thus far out of town to save the delicate sensations of citizens, by the considerate owner Christopher Marshall! The whole mysteries of the place, and the supposed doings of the doctors, was cause enough for ghost's complaints like these:
"The body-snatchers they have come
And made a snatch at me;
It's very hard them kind of men
Won't let a body be!
Don't go to weep upon my grave
And think that there I be;
They hav'nt left an atom there
Of my anatomie!"
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p.608

In the year 1820, during the months of August and September, the yellow fever was epidemic in Philadelphia County. As it was mostly confined to that portion of our territory lying along the river front, the districts of Southwark and Kensington suffered equally with the City proper.
There were sixty-seven deaths from the frightful disease of which twenty-three were residents of Kensington.
- Kensington - A City within a City, 1891, p. xv

REMARKABLE INCIDENTS
In 1692, 27th of 2d mo. he speaks of the great flood at the Delaware Falls, which rose 12 feet above the usual high water mark, owing to the sudden melting of the snow. The water reached the upper stories of some of the houses, built on low lands.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p.642

In 1824, the 29th of July, a very great and sudden land flood was experienced in and around Philadelphia, - the effect of a great discharge of rain, to wit:— ...
The water rose in Cohocksink creek, four feet higher than is recollected by the oldest inhabitants in the neighbourhood. It was nine inches deep on the lower floor of a house occupied by a Mr. White, and his family was apprized if the circumstance by the neighbours early this morning, having rested in confidence of their being secured from the flood. The house is an ancient one, having been built before the war of the Revolution, and during the conflict, was fired by the English; it was afterwards repaired, as many others in the vicinity of our city have been, which were burnt by order of the British.
We measured the height of the water mark left on the wall in the lower room of Messrs. Craig & Co's. cotton factory, and found it four feet above the floor. The machinery was nearly covered with it, and about 40 bales of cotton goods were damaged; the dye-house belonging to the factory was inundated, and most of the dye-stuffs destroyed; much of the fencing along the creek was swept away.
At the bridge over the creek on Second Street, the water rose to about four feet above the crown of the arch, and from a hasty view, there appeared to be about eight or ten cart-loads of lumber across the stream at that point. It is generally believed, that the insufficiency of the tunnel of that bridge to discharge the water, was the principal cause of the damage sustained; and from our own knowledge, within the last 25 years, the bed of the creek at Second street has been raised 5 or 6 feet, thereby lessening the tunnel nearly one half its capacity.
At the bridge over St. John street there were fifteen or twenty loads of lumber, casks, privies, &c. together with the plank work of the bridge, swept from its pier at Beaver street. A family residing in a small brick house near Beaver and Third streets, were taken from the window of their bed-chamber at about two o'clock this morning, at which time the fresh was at its height.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 644

STATISTIC FACTS
City Taxables in Northern Liberties. 151 in 1741. 7,996 in 1826. An increase of 7,845

1769. - In December of this year the assessor gave in the following list of houses then ascertained, to wit:
In Northern Liberties or Northern suburbs to Second street bridge, over Stacy's run, (Cohocksinc) - 553

1777. - In October of this year, General Howe being then in possession of Philadelphia, and many of the inhabitants gone off because of the war, or the dread of the British, an accurate census was taken by order of General Cornwallis, to wit:
3,508 houses in the city
781 in Southwark
1,170 in Northern Liberties
5470 total
Five hundred and eighty-seven of the houses were found untenanted. There were 287 stores; there were also found to be 21,767 inhabitants, exclusive of the army and strangers.

[population growth] "souls" in N. Liberties
8,333 in 1790
16,790 in 1800
21,558 in 1810

- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 661-665

KENSINGTON FOUNDED
In volume 7, chapter 4837 of the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, will be found the articles of incorporation. The inhabitants of that part of the 'Northern Liberties' in the County of Philadelphia, beginning at the mouth of Cohocksink Creek and the line of the incorporated district of 'The Northern Liberties'; thence along the River Delaware to the south line of the late—Gibson; thence to Gunner's Creek and across the same to the south line of land, late of Isaac Norris, deceased, and now of J. P. Norris; thence along the same line and the several courses thereof across the Frankford Road to Germantown Road to the middle of Sixth Street continued; thence along the middle of same to the line of the incorporated district of Northern Liberties; thence along the line of same to place of begining, shall constitute a body politic in law and in fact by the title of the Commissioners and inhabitants of the Kensington district of the Northern Liberties.
- Kensington - A City within a City, 1891, p. vi

"In order to reach Kensington we had to go down Laurel to Front Street and cross the old Stone Bridge which spanned the Canal. When the highbridge, as we termed it, was built we went down Brown to Beach and crossed the new structure. Then we were in Kensington proper."
- Kensington - A City within a City, 1891, p.xii

... the William Penn Hose located at the Stone Bridge and Frankford Road.
- Kensington - A City within a City, 1891, p. xiii


MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
In 1701, the tobacco field is spoken of, on the land of John Stacey, by the long bridge over the Cohocksinc creek.
- Annals of Philadelphia, Watson 1830, p. 716

Poplar Street from the Delaware to Front Street formerly "Marsh Street."
- Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 4, p. 179

Colonel Nicola denotes by red crosses the twenty-nine houses that were destroyed in order to properly construct the works, or that their efficiency might not be obstructed.
- Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 4, p. 181
mention of plans of the English Lines near Philadelphia

Penn 200 acre mill tract
- Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 92, p. 46

Wherever possible, lots for the largest purchasers were to be placed on water, such as the Cohocksink and Tumanaroming Creeks, bordering and flowing through the Shackamaxon land; their waters were deep enough to permit passage of small boats down to the Delaware.
- Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 92, p. 47

Petitions for making the Cohocksink Creek a public highway were sent to the Legislature in the later part of the year, and the committee to which the subject was referred reported in favor of making it a highway from the Delaware to the Frankford Road, for the passage of all kinds of vessels and rafts that could float thereon. The law, passed in accordance Feb. 27 1796, made it lawful for any citizen to remove obstructions to the navigation, so that the width of the creek for navigation should be forty feet. Drawbridges were authorized wherever necessary.
- Scharf & Westcott, 1884, p. 487

Another plan was to take the canal so that it would fall into the Cohocksink between Second and Third Streets.
- Scharf & Westcott, 1884, p. 612

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This information provided to accompany a presentation by Torben Jenk on July 28, 1997, graciously hosted by Peter & Joan Grimord, 2176 East York Street.
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All information believed accurate, please send corrections and additions to:
Ken Milano, kennethwmilano@comcast.net
Torben Jenk, torben.jenk@verizon.net